| Re: How can I accept money and keep the game legal?
Your game is probably illegal already, if you're playing for money.* Your NCAA pool and fantasy foolball are also illegal if there's money involved. If you're worried about being illegal, don't play. But of course this is a stupid law and nobody worries about it, unless your'e trying to make big money commercially. Or unless you piss off one of the cops in your town.
If you're not gonna get raided, then it doesn't matter if there's a rake or tip jar or whatever. If you do get raided, then you'll probably get busted no matter how you try to cover things up.
So my advice is to do whatever makes sense for you and your freiends. It's more a social courtesy than a legal question IMO. Ask the group what they want to do. It'sprobably gonna be illegal, so fugetaboudit.
Worrying about illegal home gambling is like worrying about sending the IRS a 1099 to people who win big in your game!
* OK, OK, I know there are different rules in different states, but this is the most likely answer. | 
